WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- David Wesley scored a season-high 23
points as the Charlotte Hornets used a fourth-quarter surge for
a 92-83 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The Hornets trailed 77-68 with 9:49 remaining after Mitch
Richmond drained a 3-pointer. But Chucky Brown nailed a shot
from beyond the arc 30 seconds later, fueling a 24-6 run for the
Hornets to close the game. Charlotte outscored the Wizards,
28-12, over the final 12 minutes.

Playing his first game since being acquired from the Los Angeles
Lakers, Eddie Jones added 14 points and five rebounds for the
Hornets, who won for the second time in three games since Paul
Silas assumed the coaching duties from Dave Cowens.

"The guys hung tough and really brought it home for us," Silas
said. "It was a supreme effort from us."

Elden Campbell, also acquired from the Lakers, did not play due
to family obligations.

Calbert Cheaney poured in a season-high 22 points off the bench
for Washington, which was playing its third game in as many
nights. Juwan Howard finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds
for the Wizards.

Washington coach Bernie Bickerstaff talked about his team being
fatigued in the final quarter.

"It isn't an excuse, it's a reality," he said. "We were a step
slow. It seemed to be the same thing that happened in New York.
We just got frustrated."

After Brown's 3-pointer brought the Hornets within six, rookie
Brad Miller made two free thorws to cut the deficit to 77-73
with 8:52 left. Richmond drilled a 22-footer 17 seconds later
to make it 79-73, but the Wizards went without a basket for the
next 4 1/2 minutes.

Richmond finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

A pair of baskets by rookie Ricky Davis sandwiched around
Wesley's jumper knotted the score, 79-79, with 5:33 remaining.
Miller sank a 17-foot jumper and Wesley followed with a bucket,
giving the Hornets an 83-79 advantage with 4:27 left.

"They ran out of steam," Wesley said of the Wizards. "We kept
coming and coming and didn't give up. Our energy level just
skyrocketed at that point."

Ben Wallace's dunk with 3:54 ended the Wizards' scoring drought.
But Chuck Person drained a 3-pointer that gave Charlotte an
86-81 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Jeff McInnis' basket cut the margin to three, but Wesley
answered with a 3-pointer, giving the Hornets an 89-83 advantage
with 89 seconds remaining. Wesley made 9-of-15 shots from the
floor.

Charlotte held the Wizards to 34 percent shooting (5-of-17) in
the fourth quarter and also forced eight of Washington's 20
turnovers in the final period.

Cheaney, who connected on 9-of-14 shots, scored 17 points in the
first half as the Wizards opened a 48-44 advantage.

The Wizards also received a strong game off the bench from
Wallace, who made all four of his shots and had 10 points and 12
rebounds.

The Hornets got an unexpected contribution from center Charles
Shackleford. He provided Charlotte with an inside presence as
he finished with 10 points and a season-best 14 rebounds.

The Hornets shot 45 percent (34-of-75) while Washington
connected on 43 percent (31-of-72) of its field goals.